Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport • Hacker News Board

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#51

Post by xgbi » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 12:27 PM UTC

andmarios wrote: post #15

antimagic wrote: post #5

I feel that every time this issue gets discussed, it needs to have some background information provided, because quite frankly, taxi drivers in France suck. From my own personal experience, I have had the following incidents: 1) a taxi driver that took me the long way round from a train station to my home. Thinking I was a tourist, because of my accent, he basically tried to take me for a ride thinking I wouldn't not…

In Greece we have a solution for this, as old as Uber but that works with the taxi drivers instead against them. Taxibeat is an app you can use to call taxis from your smartphone. You may choose which taxi you want from the list of nearby drivers. For every driver you see his/her name, plates number, car, reviews, whether he permits pets, speaks foreign languages, has wifi, permits smoking, can help people with disab…

This. I don't understand how the French Taxi lobbies cannot try and copy Uber's app for themselves. If I was a taxi I would LONG for a way to simplify the user's experience.

Uber's app is just the missing link. I don't understand how you still have to order a taxi with a phone call in 2015.

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#52

Post by mvanvoorden » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 12:39 PM UTC

lucaspiller wrote: post #6

The other week I was in LA on business and I took a taxi to my hotel. If taxis in Paris are anything like there, no wonder Uber is so popular... The hotel was about 5 miles from LAX. First the taxi driver suggested I might be able to take a shuttle bus (I had just landed after a 16 hour flight and didn't want to figure out and wait however long for that) and after persuasion agreed to take me. He had no idea where th…

Why would you even tip a taxi driver who needs to be persuaded to take you and needs your (Google maps) directions?

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#53

Post by VeejayRampay » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 12:40 PM UTC

Shivetya wrote: post #34

VeejayRampay wrote: post #4

France, where we'll protest anything that challenges the status quo.

How is that different from anywhere else where an industry is governed if not protected by government regulation? At one time regulation was meant to give some sense of guarantee of safe and reliable service, now it has become a method to prevent competition. The number of industries in the United States which are regulated is staggering, I can only imagine the same is true elsewhere. Regulating industries is a good…

There is really something special about France (and I would reckon some other former superpowers of the past). Because we used to be great and we're not anymore, slowly drifting into world oblivion, there is a quite toxic tendency to cling to that past in the form of excessive conservatism. In that mindset, any change is perceived as an additional step away from that past greatness which is an integral and important part of the "collective consciousness". As such, anything that changes the status quo frightens that part of us thinking that we're still a dominant world power. That is why we still push the French language hard (dubbing movies, forcing a 50% ratio of French music on the radio, having a national academy to enforce the purity of our language), why we've been beefing with the English and the American on many topics. That issue is systemic and is extremely detrimental in our collective progress to a better future.

This is the precise root of what has been described as the inherent French melancholia. And this is why Uber is a problem here, even though most French people would recognize it's a great service that actually brings something much needed to the table.

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#54

Post by smcl » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 12:44 PM UTC

nicolas_t wrote: post #8

Uber being available in Paris was one of the greatest thing to happen for tourists and residents alike. I agree with the general sentiment, Taxis in France are some of the worst taxis I've used. I've had a lot of bad experiences. And lest you think it's due to racism or because they thought I was a tourist (not that this would excuse their behaviour one iota), I'm French and I was born in Paris. I can understand the…

It's weird that racism seems to be a common theme\complaint about taxi drivers in many countries. The stereotype of the racist cab driver - usually a loud guy oversharing some opinions about black\indian\romanian immigrants - is pretty ingrained in the UK psyche, and many people I know have had to endure awkward and cringeworthy conversations in black cabs.

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#55

Post by ork » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 12:53 PM UTC

simias wrote: post #42

Mimu wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is worth knowing that even though the licenses are limited, the gouvernement gave them all for free, it is the taxis themselves that created some kind of mafia bullshit selling it back 200k euros. Also not very a response but Uber is kinda of fucking every laws aswell so even though the service is better and cheaper, so is my Nike made by children, it does not mean we need to make children work again for peanuts.

Yeah, I'm basically on the same page as you. I can't say I really enjoy using taxis in Paris (although I don't have any nightmare stories like other people in this thread, mostly minor annoyances like refusing to take credit cards and some general rudeness). On the other hand having services like uber breaking regulations might end up making taxis less safe and with a worse quality of service down the line as prices…

The taxis unions threaten the government with strikes and airport blockades every time the topic of opening the licenses comes to the table. The mafia is strong.

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#56

Post by coldpie » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 1:00 PM UTC

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #21

collyw wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does Uber actually solve any of these problems?

Arguably it could make them worse, there is a reason taxi drivers are licensed in most developed countries.

Whatever reason that is doesn't seem to be working :)

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#57

Post by Shivetya » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 1:00 PM UTC

According to another article it appears the taxi drivers use of violence and road blocks has worked, the France Interior minister has banned UberPop from use in the city and enforced by the police.

The verge article stated that costs for licenses can be nearly quarter million. How is that even remotely reasonable to anyone?

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#58

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 1:14 PM UTC

imdsm wrote: post #13

antimagic wrote: post #5

I feel that every time this issue gets discussed, it needs to have some background information provided, because quite frankly, taxi drivers in France suck. From my own personal experience, I have had the following incidents: 1) a taxi driver that took me the long way round from a train station to my home. Thinking I was a tourist, because of my accent, he basically tried to take me for a ride thinking I wouldn't not…

This is my problem with taxi drivers all over the world. They are essentially anonymous. When you get in a taxi, you're betting on someone you've never met, have no ratings for, have no assurances. I paid by card for a taxi journey back after a night out drinking here in the UK. The next day I discovered that he'd added more than 25% on as an admin fee, but by that time, there was no way of me easily tracking him dow…

[deleted]

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#59

Post by dvdcxn » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 1:48 PM UTC

Shivetya wrote: post #57

According to another article it appears the taxi drivers use of violence and road blocks has worked, the France Interior minister has banned UberPop from use in the city and enforced by the police. The verge article stated that costs for licenses can be nearly quarter million. How is that even remotely reasonable to anyone?

I don't think it's going out on a limb to say there is obviously some under the table collusion going on here.

Re: Anti-Uber Taxi Protest Blocks Access to Paris’s Roissy Airport

#60

Post by latesethmeyer99 » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 7:20 PM UTC

World War II - The Miracle of the Marne. The German Nazis were at the Gates of the City. Only a miracle of the Marne, prayers to God and the taxi drivers who drove soldiers to the front to fight against GERMANY saved the City and France for a while.

As the USA Uber - German for UBER ALLES aided by the scientists of Operation Paperclip and Werner Von Braun, etc the USA company UBER will conquer or better word to use PENETRATE the market? or bring progress to FRANCE.

TO THE FRENCH, WE RAISE OUR HAND IN SALUTE (no not the (hitler picture for that is illegal) and say to Paris, UBER ALLES - you will be allways with us.

Danke Schon. Thank you, Paris Taxi Cabs!